# Rural Decentralized Water System Grant Program

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/rdrus-26-dws-rural-decentralized-water-system-grant-program/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360682

> Rural Utilities Service offered grants to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 10 awards worth $6.0 million in total. Applications closed on December 1, 2025.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | RDRUS-26-DWS |
| Agency | Rural Utilities Service |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | December 1, 2025 |
| Award ceiling | not stated |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 10 |
| Total funding | $6.0 million |
| Cost sharing | required |
| Assistance Listings | 10.862 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Information on eligibility is available at this website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/rural-decentralized-water-systems-grant-program

## What the grant funds

The DWS Grant Program has been established to help individuals with low to moderate incomes finance certain costs of household water wells and individually owned decentralized wastewater systems that they own or will own. Grants are made to eligible nonprofit organizations to establish and maintain a revolving fund to provide loans and sub-grants to eligible individuals for individually owned water well systems and/or individually owned wastewater systems. Loan and/or sub-grant funds may be used by the individual to construct, refurbish, rehabilitate, or replace decentralized water well or wastewater systems. For water well systems, funds may be used up to the point of entry to a home, which is the junction where water enters into a home water delivery system after being pumped from a well. For wastewater systems, in lieu of the point of entry, the point of exit is substituted. The point of exit is the junction where wastewater exits out of the home wastewater collection system into the septic tank and drain field. DWS grant funds may be used by the nonprofit recipient to pay administrative expenses associated with providing DWS loans and/or sub-grants.

## Questions people ask

### Is RDRUS-26-DWS still open?

No. It closed on December 1, 2025.

### Who can apply for Rural Decentralized Water System Grant Program?

Rural Utilities Service accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Rural Decentralized Water System Grant Program?

Closed December 1, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

About $6.0 million in total across about 10 awards.

### Who has won Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Water Well Trust Inc, Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc., Communities Unlimited Inc. The program made 33 awards worth $16.3 million in that time.